Inching mechanism for printing presses



May l0, 1932. H. L. MGCLEERY 1,857,813

INCHING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING PRESSES Filed'Aug. 7. 1930 mi@ AH iwk Patented 4May 10, 1932l UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE mom L MCCLEERY, 'or Dowmms Gnov, ILLINoIs, AssICNoR rro ALLAN I. CLINE,

' or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS f INCHIN G MEGHANISM FOR PRINTING PRESSES Appneation mea aughunz'laao. serial No. 478,579.

This invention relates to printing presses and particularly to the so-called unit type press having the individual printing units arranged in a line or row with the folders 6 interspersed at regular intervals along theD line of printin units. A

In resses I this type it has heretofore been t e practice in making the units ready for a printing operation to inch the entire l0 press as a single unit by using either the regular press drive motor,c\or an auxiliary slow speedmotor to slowly turn over the cylinders of the several printing units.

An important object of my invention is to provide separate inching motors for the several printing units, the motor for each unit being independent of the motors for the other units to permit inching of the units individually. The use. of the individual inching motors is particularly desirable in that it eliminates the necessity of turning over the entire press in order to prepare a single unit for a printing` operation.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent asI proceed with my specication, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof. 1

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a broken side elevational view'of a unit type press provided with separate inching motors for each of the printing units.

Fig. 2 is a broken elevational view showing the connection between the inching motor and the associated/printing unit;

- Fig. 3 is a detail section taken on the line 3--3 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a detail view showing the drive connections between the individual couples of the printing units.

Referring to the drawings, the press frame consists of a horizontal base 5, atop frame member 6 which extends parallel to the base 5, and a series of column members 7 positioned on the opposite sides of the frame and extending vertically between the base 5 and" the top frame member 6.

The portion of the press shown in the drawingsincludes three printing units supported between the columns 7 and indicated generally by the numeral 8, and a folder 9 positioned between the two printing units located at the left in Fig. 1. In the embodiment shown the printing units 8 include two separate printing couples, the plate cylinders of which are indicated by the numerals 11 and 12, the corresponding .impression cylinders being indicated bythe numerals 13 and 14. One side of the sheet is printedas the' web passes between the cylinders 12 and 14 and the other side of the sheet is printed as the web passes between the cylinders 11 and 13. After passing through the printing units the several webs are taken over guide rollers 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19 to the folder 9 where they are assembled and folded in the desired relation.

The printing units 8 and the folder 9 may either be driven by a single large motor and' a main line shaft connecting with the individual units,l or by separate motors which are4 individualized to the separate printing units and the folder. In the embodiment shown in the drawings I have illustrated a press provided with separate motors 21 for driving the printing units 8, and a separate folder motor 22 for driving the folder 9,'these motors beimpression cylinder 14. The lower end' of the shaft 24 carries a worm wheel 27 which meshes with a worm gear 28 carried on the armature shaft of the motor 21. The couples of each printing unit are geared together as indicated `in Fig. 4, the spindle of each cylinder being provided with a gear whe'el 29 which meshes with the corresponding gear on the spindle of the adjacent cylinder to pro- I vide a driving connection between the two couples. The armature shaft of each of the motors 21 extends through the motor and' 1s the rollers of the folder.

provided with a clutch member 31 for connecting the motor into the equalizing shaft 23. By disconnecting the clutch members 31 the printing units may be operated independently of the other units of the series.

. The folder 9 is driven from the folder motor 22 through a vertical shaft 33 carrying bevel pinions 34 and 35 which mesh with corresponding bevel gear wheels 36 and 37 which in turn are operatively connected with The lower end of' the shaft 33 carries a worm wheel 38 which meshes with a'worm gear 39 carried on the v armature shaft of the'motor 22. A clutch 41 connects the motor 22 into the equalizing shaft 23. rl'he shaft` 23 isalso provided with clutch members 42 to allow said shaft to be Y divided in accordance with the particular grouping of the units selected for any given l run of the press.

Accordin to my invention, each of the printing umts 8 is provided with a separate inching motor 43 to permit plating up of the individual printing units independently of the other units of the series. The motors 43 are supported upon the press columns 7 adj af cent the impression cylinders 13.. The armature shaft of each of the motors 43l carries a spur gear 44 which meshes with a spur gear 45 carried by the spindle of the impression cylinder 13. Direct p driving connection is thus provided between the inching motor and both couples of the printing unit, the couples being geared together as indicated in Fig. 4. A clutch 46 is provided in the armature shaft of each of the motors 43 to disconnect the mo-. tor from the impression cylinder 13. The clutches 46 include operating handles 47 which are positioned on the press at a point which may be conveniently reached by the pressmen. It will be understood that the inching motors are merely usedtfor making ready the printing units. Whenthe press is plated up and ready for a run the inching motors are disconnected by the clutches 46. When the inching motors are in use the clutch members 31 are disconnected to allow independent operation of 'the printing units. Y

If a single large motor is used to drive the press instead of the individual motors 21 and 22 the shafts which connect the printing units Y with the main power transmission shaft are provided with clutches for disconnecting the several'printing units from the m in line shaft. The use of such clutches allows the separate inching motors 43 to drive their corresponding printing units without driving the other um'ts of the series.

In the embodiment shown in the drawings the couples of each printing'unit are geared together and a single inching motor is provided for each printing unit. If the couples are not geared together, as is sometimes the ca se in color presses, a separate inching motor corresponding 1. A printing press comprising, a plurality v of associated printing units, and a separate -inching motor for each of said printing units.

2. A printing press comprising, a plurality of associated printing units, drive means for operating said units, means for disconnecting each of said printing units/from the otherv units of the press, and a separate inching motor for each of said printing units.

3. A printing press comprising, a plurality of associated printing units, drive means for operating sald umts, means for dlsconnecting each of said printing units from the other units of the press, a separate inchingmotor for each of said printing units, and means for disconnecting said inching motors from the printing units.` A

4. A printing press comprising, a printing unit, a folder, drive means for operating said printing unit and the folder, means for disconnecting said printing unit andthe folder, and a separate inching motor for said print-A ing unit.

5. A printing press'comprising, a printing unit, a folder, drive means for operating said printing unit and the folder, means for disconnecting said printing unit and the folder, a separate inching motor for said printing unit, and means for disconnecting said inching motor from the printing unit.

6. A printing press comprising, a plurality of associated printing units, a folder, drive means for operating said printing units andthe folder, means for disconnecting said folder and the printing units fromvthe other units of the press, and a separate inching motor for each of said printing units.

7. A printing press comprising, a plurality of associated printing units, a folder, drive 'ns means for operating said printing units and the folder, means for disconnectingsaid folder and the printing units from the other units of the. press, a separate inching motor for each of said printing units, and'means for disconnecting said inching motors from the printlng umts.

8. A printing press comprising, a printing unit, -a motor drive individualized to said unit` a folder, an individual motor drive for said folder, and a separate inching motor for said printing unit. 9. A printing press comprising, a printing unit, a motor drive individualized to said unit, a folder, an individual motor drive for said folder, a separate inching motor for said as l - printing unit, and means for disconnecting said inching motor form the printing unit.

10. A printing press comprising, a plurality of associated printing units, a separate motor drive for each of said units, and a separate inching motor for each of said units. i

11. A printing press comprising, a plu-2y rality of associated printinoF units, a separate motor drive for each of sald units, a folder, an individual motor drive for said folder, and a separate inching motor for each of said printing units.

l 12. A printing press comprising, a plurality of associated printing units, a separate motor drive for each of said units, means for disconnecting said units from the other units I of the press, and a separate inching motor for each of said printing units.

13. A printing press comprising, a plurality of associated printing units, a separate motor drive for each of said units, means for disconnectingsaid units from the other units of the. press, a separate inching motor for each of said printing units, and means for disconnecting said inching motors .from the printing units. V f

14. A printing press comprising, a plurality of associated printing units, a se arate motor drive for each of said units, a fol er, an individual motor drive for said folder, means for disconnecting said printing units and the folder from the other units of the press, and a separate inching motor for each of said printing units.

15. A printing press comprising, a plurality yof associated printing units, a separate motor drive for each of said units, a folder, an individual motor drive for said folder, means for disconnecting said printing units and the folder from the other units of the press, a separate inching motor for each of said printing units, and means for disconnecting said inching motors from the printing units.

16. A unit type printing press comprising a series of associated-printing units, an individual maindrive for each ofsaid units, comprising a motor and driving connections therefrom to the press, means for disconnecting the individual units from other units of the press, an individual inching motor for each of said units for driving the same at slow speed, said inching motor being independent of the said individual main drive for the unit, and means for disconnecting said inching motors from the printing units'to permit the latter to be driven at high speed from said main drives.

In witness whereof, I yhereunto subscribe my name to this specification.

HAROLD L. MCCLEERY; 

